The Sesame Ring

“The Sesame Ring was started out by SUTD students, with support from MIT, as a personal project to eliminate the inconvenience of handing multiple smart-cards for the metro system and school access. The growing interest among their fellow school mates and several metro systems in what they had created, made them discover that the Sesame Ring could have impact in bringing convenience to everyday com- muters and students around the world.

Today, this piece of NFC wearable technology supports not only security access but also micro-payment – delivering convenience to thousands of people in the US and Singapore. Having clinched an exclusive partnership with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to develop wearable form factors for their metro pass, the Sesame Ring eliminates the need for thousands of Bostonians to fumble for their wallet and bag before boarding the train every day. The product – known as the SUTD Ring in Singapore – has also been established as a college symbol for the Singapore University of Technology and Design, where students use it to access college facilities and their hostel. The project raised funding through a successful Kickstarter campaign.